overturn
/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɜː(ɹ)n/verb, noun
overturn is spelled O-V-E-R-T-U-R-N: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, overturn means “To turn over, capsize or upset” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in overturn?
| Letters | 8: O-V-E-R-T-U-R-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.7 times per million words; the 21,798th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is overturn?
Overturn appears 1.7 times per million words in written English, the 21,798th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce overturn?
- /ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɜː(ɹ)n/
As a noun (“A turning over or upside-down; inversion”): /ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɜː(ɹ)n/, /ˈəʊvə(ɹ)ˌtɜː(ɹ)n/.
Overturn has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-overturn.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-overturn_(noun).wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with overturn?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as overturn.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: turnover.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of overturn
- overturns present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- overturning participle, present
- overturned participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does overturn mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To turn over, capsize or upset.
- 2
To overthrow or destroy.
- 3
To reverse (a decision); to overrule or rescind.
- 4
To diminish the significance of a previous defeat by winning; to make a comeback from.
- 5
To undergo a limnic eruption, where dissolved gas suddenly erupts from the depths.
noun
- 1
A turning over or upside-down; inversion.
- 2
The overturning or overthrow of some institution or state of affairs; ruin.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Overturn in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | renverser, retourner, capoter, verser , casser |
| German | sich überschlagen , aufheben , verwerfen |
| Portuguese | capotar , anular, derrubar |
| Spanish | volcar, trabucar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does overturn come from?
From Middle English overturnen, equivalent to over- + turn. Compare also Middle English overterven (“to overturn”), see terve.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).